Electrical connector



.Patented June `l1, 1940 UNITED 4STATES* PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to quick detachable connectors such as may be advantageously used in electrical connector door knobs and the like.

My invention relates generally toa detachable or separable connector in which cooperating elements may be secured together by the simple act of pressing one into the other and it is. so arranged that when the cooperating parts are pressed together they will be firmly interlocked agalinst accidental separation evenunder a' strong Dul One of the objects of my invention is to prol vide an easily separable connector wherein the cooperating parts can be pressedone against the other when in axial alignment without requiring anyw manipulation of either of the parts to bring about a positive interlocking connection.

Another object of the invention is to provide a separable connector wherein the interlocked parts can be easily separated by imparting to one of them a simple twisting action constituting movement in only a small arc of a circle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lseparable connector wherein a headed element can be pressed into a pocketed element and wherein means is provided for automatically4 aligning the head and the pocketed element to positively insure proper entry of the head into the pocketed element and proper seating of the head therein. I

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the views, and in which:

'Fig 1 is a side elevation of a' separable electric connector;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing the interior construction of the socket and plug with means for completing an electrical connection;

Fig. 3 is a section taken approximately on the line 3 3' of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken approximately on the lines 4-4 o1' Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the plug; and

Fig. 6 shows the adaptation of my construction to a door knob.

In the structure shown best in Fig. 2 there is illustrated a separable electric connection which includes a block of insulation 1 having a cuplike end 8 which is open as shown, and the opposite end of the block is provided with a threaded sleeve 9 which is of a conducting material.

longitudinal axis of the structure.

Within the cup 8 is anchored a plug lreceiving socket' which includes a main base plate I0 anchored in the block 'l by means of pins II and a bolt I2. 'Ihe latter has a contact element formed as Ia washer I3 on the outer end of the 5 bolt. 'I'he plate or disc I 0 has extending therefrom a plurality of 'resilient metal prongs I4 which in the illustrated embodiment are four in number. When looking at the ends of the prongs as in Fig. 3, it will be noted that their edges are l normally abutting each other. There is a space between theprongs and the inner wall of the cup 8 to permit the prongs to be sprung outwardly. The free ends of the prongs are provided with enlarged portions I5, as best shown in Fig. 2, l and these ends have slanting faces I6 and inner shoulders I'I, the facesy of said shoulders lying in a plane'substantially at right-angles to the 'I'he shoulder faces `Il define the outer ends of pockets I8 20 formed in the prongs, these-pockets, as best shown in Fig. 3, being substantially concave in cross section. It will be seen that the group of resilient prongs I4 form a substantially circular structure leaving an open central area with the '25 slanting faces I Ii on the ends of the prongs directed inwardly toward the center of said open area. Where the edges of the prongs abrt each other at their free ends, the inner corners at said edges are shaped in such a manner that adjacent prong corners extend inwardly toward the center of the open central area, these point portions being indicated at I9. When the prongs are irl abutment the adjacent inwardly extending porftions of the prong corners together formA an inward projection andthe sides of the composite projection formed slant in a curve away from each other toward their respective and adjacent pockets I8.

The cooperating element or plug element which is adapted to be inserted in the socket formed by the prongs I8 includes a shank 20 which pre1- erably extends partially through a knob 2| of insulating material, and one end of this shank extends outwardly from the knob and is pro- 4vided with a plurality of cam-like projections 22.

As best shown in Fig. 5, these cam elements are four in number corresponding to the number of pockets I8 in the socket prongs, and these cams have cross sectional shape generally the same as that of said pockets. The cam elements have fiat faces 23 at their large ends, said faces being substantially at right-angles to the axis of the shank 28,: and the cams diminish in size toward their outer ends and converge to a. 5

point, as best shown in Fig. 2. The lateral faces ofthe cams are slightly convex, as shown in Fig.v 5, and the outer edge of each' cam at the junction of said faces isY formed straight to the above -mentioned point. This edge can, however, be made curved if desired.

When the plug assembly is substantially axially aligned with the prong socket assembly and pressed inwardly the ridges of the cam elements will engage the slanting faces I6 at the outer ends of prongs Id and the plug assembly will be automatically centered. Further pressure of the plug against the prong assembly will cause the latter to be split radially and the plug can be pressed in until the shoulders I1 on the prongs snap into positiveA interlockinga engagement with the faces 23 in back of the large ends of the cams 22, said '.cams slipping into the pockets I8 formed in the said prong assembly at the points where the nal grooves 2l.

individual prong elements come together.- Under such conditions the cams would"merely spread the prongs and they would not drop into the pockets I6. To eliminate such a possibility the small inwardly curved projections I9 are provided to present guiding surfaces which will slightly twist the cams 22 and the remainder of the -plug assembly so that the cams will ride into the pockets I8 and not become jammed .between adjacent prong elements. While in Eig. 3 it might appear that there is suiiicient space 'beltween the edges of adjacent,l prong elementseto still admit the relatively sharp edges of the cams 22, this is not possible in actual practice for the reason that the side edges of the prongs abut each other more closely than shown in the drawing, which h as been exaggerated to ,m'ore clearly'` present the structure involved. This is an irn-l portant feature of the invention and one which absolutely eliminates any need for turning the plug to any particular position for insertion in order to produce a positive interlocking connection.

In the electrical connector shown there is provided a sleeve 215 having a central aperture therein which actsas a guide for the plug to some extent and which carries a split spring ring 25 having a` plurality of spring prongs 26 extending therefrom. 'I'he ring 25 is adapted to be seated in a suitable annular groove in the Asleeve '255, and the spring prongs 26 are seated in longitudi- The ring 25 is'connect'ed by a conducting strip 28 to the threaded sleeve 9 on the endl of the block of insulation ll.

The plug 2I has'a reduced portion 2Ia which carries a conducting sleeve 29, said sleeve having abinding post 3U to which an electric wire3I can be connected. A secondwire 32 is adapted to be connected to the shank 20. Thus a circuit is established through the shank 20 and cams 22 to the spring prongs I4, the bolt I2 and the contact washer I3.l The other side of the vcircuit through the wire 3| continues through the sleeve 29, the spring contact elements 2,6 with their ring 25, and thence through the conductor bar 28 to the threaded conducting sleeve 9. The

, sleeve 9 can be screwed into an ordinary light bulb socket as is well 'known in the art.

In Fig. 6 the invention is shown applied to a door latch or similar structure. A portion of a door frame or cabinet section is shown at 33 and a fragmentary section of a door is indicated at 3d. In this case the spring prongs Ida are connected by their base IIIa to av metallic casing' 35 by means of a rivet 36. 'I'he casing is secured by screws 31 tothe door frame or some corresponding structure. Extending" through the door 34 is a shank 38 havingan enlarged medial portion 39, and said medial portion is retained in position by face plates 4I) and 4I. 'I'he outer end of the shank 38 is provided with a knob 42 and the inner end of' the shank is provided with a plurality of cam elements 22a similar to the cams 22 in the first described embodiment. The general connector assembly structure is exactly the same as that shown in Fig. 2, and the device is operated in exactly the same manner. w

In the case of either of the above described embodiments of the invention when the shank or plug with its cam elements has been inserted.

into and interlocked with the spring prong assembly it is positively retained against withdrawal by a pull as has been above described. In order to release the connector or latch, it is necessary only to turn the plug or knob slightly so that the cams acting upon the concave faces of the pockets -in the spring prongs will cause radial expansion of the prong assembly and the plug or shank can be easily withdrawn.

From the4 foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have provided a connector construction wherein a positive interlock is secured, and thepstructure is such that the plug or shank can be inserted in the prong unit regardless of the rotary position in which said plug or shank maymotion due to said projections and not due to any action on the part of the p'erson making the connection.

possible to pull apart. At the same time, re'

moval of one part from the other is easily accomplished. A y It will, of course, be understodvthat various changes may be made in the form, details, ar-

' rangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

l. In a connector structure, a plurality of laterally yieldableprongs having their side faces in normally abutting relationship and arranged `about ano'pen central area, the inner faces of said prongs defining concave pockets, the outer ends ot said prongs providing shoulders at the ends of said pockets, the inner facesof said shoulders lying substantially at right-angles to the longitudinal.. axis of the prong-.assembly and.

The device is of relatively simple structure, out it is extremely sturdy and imvends of said prongs providing shoulders at the ends of said pockets, the inner faces of said shoulders lying substantially at right-angles to the longitudinal axis of the prong assembly and the upper faces, of said shoulders being inclined downwardly and inwardly toward said axis, said prong assembly being yieldable radially to receive a tapered plug pressed `axially thereinto, and said pockets and inner faces of said shoulders being adapted'to provide positive interlocking engagement with a plug.

3. A plug adapted to be inserted intoand inter;-

llocked with a socket composed of a plurality of radially yieldable prongs having pockets on their inner sides and having shoulders whose inner faces lie at right-angles to the axis of the socket,

comprising, a group of cam elements substantially triangular in cross section and diminishing in size from their inner ends to their outer ends, two adjacent surfaces of said cams being convex and meeting to provide relatively sharp edges and said inner ends providing faces lying at 10 =gilt-angles to the axis of the group of cams.

4. The structure in claim 2, and the inner corners of the free ends of said prongs at their abutting faces being provided with inwardly extending substantially rdial projections having 15 oppositely disposed surfaces curving toward their respective adjacent prong pockets. 

